I really suggest trying out the Pomodoro Technique(http://www.pomodorotechnique.com/). It might actually be a bit tricky to really do it right, but you must take all breaks and actually step away from the computer, stretch, walk around, and drink water. I work in bursts of 25 minutes working on one single task, none of that multitasking crap. After 4 Pomodoros you must take a longer break. The hard part for many people is to actually drop what they're doing and take the damn breaks, but once you get used to it, you'll be golden. Working with the Pomodoro Technique lets you get tons of work done without working and straining yourself so hard.
Balance is something I've never really understood. Ive been working on the present startup full-time for 3 months. Took me a good two months to figure out I shoukd only be doing one startup at a time. Lol... Sigh ... Old habits I guess die hard.
Anyway can't say I'm not happy though. I bounce out of bed everyday and I feel blessed that I can focus on one project for once in my life. Feels very selfish of me though for whatever reason.
I think it helped me that something really bad happened to me exactly at the start of my startup journey. It's made the startup life seem easy by comparison. I actually feel like I'm not pushing myself enough ...
Hey Tawheed, I'm about to be in exactly the same situation. I've been dreaming of being able to have only my startup to focus on for so long, having just graduated I thought after Christmas it would be here. Everyone keeps telling me time away is important, but I haven't really learned to take it. I worry about burning my team out as well. Thanks for sharing. We'll see if I come to the same conclusions.
I learned this the hard way, and went through burnout before I understood that I needed to take it easy. Exercising regularly, eating well, proper sleeping habits, friends and family time, all of these make me more productive, effective and happier.
I still work long hours and finding this balance is hard. It's something you do every day and some discipline is needed, just like diet or quit smoking.
When founding a startup it's important to avoid "burnouts". It's all about the balance between efficiency and long hours. Taking some time off is good to take a broader look at your business and being more creative. I always try to take 1 day off a week. So I can start the week with a fresh mind for critical problems.
